


Her Wildfire

by Neera Silvertongue (Zesraer)



Series: The Heartbreaker Chronicles [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, Heartbreakers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-11
Updated: 2015-05-11
Packaged: 2018-04-10 20:19:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4406165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zesraer/pseuds/Neera%20Silvertongue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story takes place in a later point during the Heartbreaker Chronicles, one after Tessara has left the ship for yet to be specified reasons (mainly due to a wish for a rebooting of the second story arc from some of my co authors). </p><p>This little one shot is basically about Tessara's feelings about being left behind by her Captain and crew to recover from injuries sustained on a raid.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Her Wildfire

“Kvinna, why do you pine over the sea? What lies out there that you cannot find here in your home?”

The voice echoed through her mind, pulling her out of the mindless haze that had settled upon her. The fog was harder and harder to escape, it settled every time she saw the sea. It protected her from what had happened out there, what had been lost to her for a little over a year.

 

“I see how you stare at the sea Kvinna, not many are so tethered to it. You stare with fear and reverence, but most of all with a sense of heart rending loss. What is out there that draws you so? Your ship is gone, your old crewmates so far vanished on the winds that even Odin could not find them. Yet desire burns in your eyes, just as strong as the fear.”

 

The voice was no longer just a voice, no it belonged to her aunt. Damn, how long had she been standing here at the docks? Long enough for her aunt to again notice her odd behavior.

 

“Your fear is different when it comes to the sea, not the blatant fear of flame that you exhibit before the hearth of our home. Your fear of the sea, it is the fear of possibility. Of what is debatable. Death was what I initially assumed, but this seems to be the least of your fear. You are like a Valkyrie in that way, always charging into battle without fear. Due to this, you need not fear death at sea. Njordr’s realm can never claim you, your fellow Valkyries will not let you fall there. But child, I think you fear what waits for you out there. Kvinna, you fear your crew.”

 

The young woman emerges from her fog, finally acknowledging what her aunt was saying. She didn’t like the idea she was afraid of her crew but knew deep down that this was a plausible conclusion. So she chose to attack a different aspect of her aunt’s analysis. A small fickle one, but one she wasn’t comfortable with none the less.

 

“Please stop , I am no Kvinna.” The young woman looks her aunt in the eye, her dislike of the title clearly written upon her face. “You are my aunt and there is no need for the use of this term here.”

  
“It is just a word, would you prefer me to address you in another way? Kvinna displeases you?” Her aunt pushes forward, finally getting some reaction out of her niece, finally seeing the girl surface through the fog that had taken hold of her.

  
“I don’t deserve it, I have done nothing for Avendale.”

  
“Tessara Belacqua! By using your title you honor your father, who gave his life for Avendale, for his family. Because of his sacrifice you may now live the life he wished for you. Do not dishonor him by refusing this small thing.” Her aunt’s scolding gives her the final push to clear the fog, and Tessara bows her head shamefully.  
“I mean him no dishonor, it is just I do not believe a pirate should wear a title earned by killing those like her.”

 

Her aunt shakes her head, and looks at the young lady standing before her. “I have heard tales of your pirates, and I remember those that took you from us long ago. They may as well be two different species for all their differences child. You may have stolen and killed but you also did a lot of good, face those who did much worse to this world, brought true evil into it and you purged them from it. Your old crew may have been pirates but you did good, brought good into this world. And now you have a reward for that good, do not take it for granted.”

 

Tessara sighs and shakes her head, “We did naught but what we had to survive. Few of us thought of good or bad when we chose to do what we did. We just did it to keep sailing. Perhaps our Captain had an overarching goal but it was rarely mentioned. We were pirates to be pirates and nothing else, because we were free spirits who had nowhere else to call home.”

 

“You speak of your old crew fondly, but yet you hold yourself to your more negative actions. If your queen is willing to forgive you, why can’t you forgive yourself?”  
“I may speak of them fondly, I may have called them family once. Even felt… more once upon a time. But I have not forgiven them, they abandoned me. Left me on my own like so many before. And I cannot forgive myself for being so weak as to pine after them now that they are gone. I can forgive the oceans of blood on my hands, the numerous crimes and thefts but I cannot forgive this weakness of heart.”

 

“You seek one member in particular. She who saw you through your troubles, comforted you when you needed it most. Saw you through the first few days on your ship, made sure you wouldn’t flee your best chance at life.” Her aunt chuckled “You were lucky Kvinna but perhaps now it is to move on from that part of your life.”

 

“The Captain? I think you misinterpreted my feelings towards my crew. I mean yes, I love the Captain dearly. Owe her a life debt in fact, but she is nothing more than a friend.”

 

“No no Kvinna, I mean the little wildfire who also welcomed you aboard your ship. The little child of Loki, who is fickle as the flames he rules. You have fallen for flame, Kvinna dear and you pine for its heat still. You are brave to love Loki’s kin, dear Valkyris. Fire is not a common mix for those born of ice and snow.”

 

“Yes, I have fallen for one of Loki’s children, not marked by Kenaz but as true to his line as any other. She was born of fire and I should have known better. For she burned me just as any other would. Her warmth burned fast and bright but she left me just as the others, shivering in the cold solitude that I once longed for.” Tessara responds, trying to fight back frustrated and hurt tears. She fails, and silent sobs wrack her body as her aunt looks on helplessly. She knew the girl missed her crew, and was deeply hurt by being left behind by her Captain and First Mate but could do nothing to comfort her niece. Eventually the girl’s sobbing ceases and she turns to her aunt. “I need to return to my obligations. I fear I have been gone from the castle for far too long. I will be missed at Court, I don’t want to be escorted back by guards again. Dearest aunt, I must leave your presence now. Please don’t fret about me, turn your thoughts to better things.” She gives a slight curtsey and begins to make her way back to the castle and the court, knowing that her training as a lady still awaited. She gave one last sigh, wishing she could remain by the sea all day instead of being cooped up in a castle.

 

“What is wrong with my dear cousin mother?” A man walks up besides the older woman, watching his newfound cousin’s disappearing form as she followed the path back towards the castle and her duties.

  
“Silly fool. She is smitten with a pirate, not that she would admit it, not even to herself. It is why she longs for the sea but also fears it. She fears what it hides from her now, fears what could be. I don’t know if our young Kvinna is ready for love but I also know that she is not ready for the heartbreak a year can bring either. For her I pray her little wildfire has stayed true and returns her affections. Otherwise our Kvinna might become as fragile as new snow.”

  
“Then may Freyja watch over and guard her heart.” He looks at Tessara’s ever distant form, hoping that the goddess would watch over his younger cousin. She had already gone through so much, he did not want to see her in more pain. She deserved a good life, one in which she was happy, whether that be here or on the seas with her old crew was yet to be determined.


End file.
